Work Text:
The house was still half-lit when Kaveh kissed him goodbye.
It was early, sun not yet reaching past the rooftops, and Kaveh was already halfway into his boots with his hair a mess and his hands full of scrolls. Alhaitham kissed him anyway, quick, one hand lingering at his waist before pulling back.
“Try not to forget your itinerary this time,” he said.
Kaveh groaned, kissed him again, and stumbled out the door.
By the time Alhaitham sat down with tea and a book, the quiet had settled like dust in the air. He thought he’d enjoy it.
He didn’t.
The knock at the door came sometime after midday.
Nilou stood in the doorway, in her usual outfit, wind lifting the hem of her skirt. Her hair was pinned neatly. There was nothing unusual about her expression. Just that same soft smile, hands behind her back like she wasn’t quite sure how long she planned to stay.
“Sorry to drop by. Kaveh said I could borrow his sketches from the Sabzeruz project.”
Alhaitham nodded once, stepped back, and let her in.
She thanked him, quietly, and followed his gesture toward Kaveh’s study. He went back to his chair. Picked up his book. Read three lines before realizing she hadn’t left.
When he glanced over, she was sitting by the window.
Not rummaging. Not looking for the sketchbook. Just... sitting.
“I haven’t seen you since the day of the performance,” she said. “You left early.”
“It was loud.”
She smiled at that, folding her hands in her lap. “You don’t like watching people fall apart in public, do you?”
“I think it’s unnecessary,” he said.
She looked at him then. “Do you think I fall apart easily?”
“No,” he said. “But you do perform for people who want to see you open up.”
She tilted her head, amused. “Including you?”
“You’re not performing now.”
“Aren’t I?”
The silence stretched between them again.
It wasn't uncomfortable.
Eventually she rose and crossed the room, quiet on her feet. She paused a few paces from his chair, fingers brushing the curve of her wrist like she was still deciding whether to say something.
“You and Kaveh,” she said carefully. “You’ve been together a while now.”
He didn’t respond.
“Does it ever scare you? How easy it is to break things without meaning to?”
That caught him off guard.
“No,” he said.
She took one more step. “Can I ask something strange?” she said.
He looked up.
“Do you ever wonder what it would feel like to be wanted by someone who shouldn’t want you?” There was no flirtation in her voice.
He didn’t answer.
“I know you’re not attracted to women,” she said.
“I’m not,” he replied.
She nodded once. As if she expected it. Then sat on the arm of his chair.
“But you’re still letting me stay.” Her hand grazed his forearm. Soft. Innocent.
He didn’t pull away.
“You kissed Kaveh this morning,” she said.
“Yes.”
“And now you’re letting me touch you.”
She paused.
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
He let out a slow breath.
Her eyes flicked down to his lap, then back up.
“If I touched you more, you’d let me.”
Silence followed.
She didn’t ask permission again.
She slid into his lap like she belonged there, legs folding beside his, her body warm where it pressed into his chest. Her hand trailed along his thigh, light at first, then firmer. His breath stilled.
“You’re hard already,” she said softly.
He didn’t respond.
Her fingers slid along the seam of his pants, not fumbling, not shy. When she leaned forward, her mouth brushed the side of his jaw. Her voice was low, almost kind.
“You don’t have to lie. I’m not going to ask you to pretend.”
She unfastened his belt.
He let her.
He didn’t close his eyes.
Her hand wrapped around him and stroked him slowly, like she was learning something sacred. She got on her knees, on the ground and let her mouth close around him.
He watched her the entire time.
The way her lips wrapped around him, careful and tight, the way her lashes fluttered every time she sank deeper. Her breathing was quiet through her nose, paced with control. Her mouth was warm, slick, and steady. Her tongue moving just enough to keep him hovering at the edge without slipping over.
He didn’t touch her or guide her. His hands stayed planted at his sides, fingers curled hard into the cushion. His thighs were tense beneath her grip. His hips only twitched when she eased him in deeper.
It was unbearable how good it felt.
The wet sound of her mouth filled the quiet space between them. She didn’t gag. Didn’t choke. Just let the weight of him drag across her tongue in a slow, practiced rhythm. Her hand wrapped around the base to keep him grounded, stroking in time with each movement of her mouth.
He felt his breath catch. His stomach draw tight.
“Nilou,” he said low, but she didn’t stop. Didn’t change pace. Just moaned faintly around him, sending heat pulsing through his spine.
It snapped something.
His hips jerked once, rougher than he meant. She took it. Let him fuck into her mouth with a quiet, involuntary thrust, and then he was coming, all at once, sudden and silent, jaw clenched and breath locked in his throat.
His orgasm hit hard, body drawn taut, thighs trembling under her palms. He barely breathed through it, head tipped back and jaw slack, cum spilling over her tongue in slow, drawn-out pulses.
She didn’t pull back.
She swallowed, lips still wrapped around him until he twitched from the oversensitivity. Only then did she ease off, mouth wet and shining, her breath catching just once before she wiped her wrist against her mouth and sat beside him again.
She didn’t say a word.
And neither did he.
“You don’t regret it,” she said.
He didn't say anything.
They sat there in silence for a while longer. The sun had dipped below the roofs. The room glowed faint gold.
At last, she stood.
“You can tell him if you want to,” she said. “Or don’t.”
She didn’t kiss him.
Just left.
And Alhaitham sat with his shirt open, breathing steady again, wondering how long the silence would last before it started to feel like punishment.